I’m over turkey. And all of the dishes that come with it. And all I had in my fridge last night was turkey, all of the dishes that come with it, three herb infused simple syrups, and countless bottle of sauces. I had better luck in the freezer where I found some homemade cheese ravioli and some walnut pesto I’d stored away for emergency situations.

I boiled the ravs and warmed the frozen cubes of pesto in a saucepan, using a spoonful or two of the starchy pasta liquid and a large pinch of Parmesan cheese to thicken it into a sauce. So the next time you have some extra basil walnuts or both on hand, use them to make this sauce for now or for later!

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese

Directions

Combine the basil, walnuts and garlic in a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Note: This recipe makes about 1 cup. You can use pine nuts (the traditional recipe) or even pecans if you have them on hand. If you intend to freeze the pesto, leave the cheese OUT and add it when you thaw and use the pesto. I usually pour the pesto into an ice cube tray so I have individual servings to grab from the freezer.

What you’ll need: A food processor or blender.

What you want to know: One tablespoon is 94 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 Weight Watchers points!